


It's a Wonderful Night

by Tsuuriki



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Christmas Eve, F/M, Fluff, Karl builds a snowman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 01:35:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17132546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsuuriki/pseuds/Tsuuriki
Summary: Merry Christmas to Kacij! I know you started the Karl/Jessica WhoaTP, and this idea stuck with me.Karl and Jessica pass the time while waiting on a mission on Christmas Eve.





	It's a Wonderful Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GarcysFlereal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarcysFlereal/gifts).



Jessica had been sitting huddled close to a dying fire, waiting for Emma and Nicholas to return. She found it a dark humor, how they could go on a Christmas Eve date to see Charles Dickens in person, but she couldn't tag along. She had to sit and guard the Mothership instead of enjoying her long-standing tradition of getting plastered while watching Christmas movies.

She heard a grumble to her left as she built up the fire. Karl had also been chosen for guard duty. They had landed around 6 p.m., and he had dozed off shortly after, knowing that chauffeur duty meant they had to be ready at any time upon their return. 

“Did they really need us to stand guard all night? I mean, Anthony installed that cloaking device for this very reason. What is the point of making us sit out here freezing our butts off?”

“It’s some kind of loyalty test. Check to make sure we’re really invested in Rittenhouse’s agenda. Did you know that Emma spent ten years alone in the 1800s? This is pennies compared to that trial.” Jessica informed him. She had heard the stories of the sleeper agents that Rittenhouse had sent to important events, making sure things ultimately turned their way.

“Seems pretty extreme, if you ask me,” he sighed as he leaned back against one of the logs, sticking his feet closer to the fire. “Almost makes me miss tearing through history with Garcia Flynn. At least he sprang for hotels.”

“Well, at this point there are only two things we can do to pass the time.”

“Only two?”

“Get a life, guttermind. We could sleep, or we could talk. Personally, I don't feel the need to open up this can of worms,” she gestured to herself, “And it’s about 3 a.m., so no use trying to doze off again at this point.” 

“Fair point, and reciprocated. But to correct you, there is a third.” he stood up and started to gather snow. 

“If you even think about throwing that at me, I will shoot you.” 

“I wouldn't dream of it, m'lady,” he bowed. “I am making a snowman.”

“What are you, eight?”

“Come on. Snowman building is a lost art. And if I sit down any longer, I might just freeze to the ground.”

She chuckled as she watched him pack the snow into a large ball as the base of the snowman, then rolling another snowball along the ground to make the next layer. Finally, after twenty minutes of watching him struggle to find enough snow to make a head, she got up to search for rocks and twigs to accessorize the snowman.

He quirked his eyebrow at her when she started to put a face together. “I thought building snowmen was an activity for children.”

“Did you know that people have been building snowmen since the Medieval era?”

“Did you look that up on Wikipedia?”

“I actually did. It really is amazing what questions can enter one’s brain while drunk at 2 am.”

He nodded as she finished building the face, then put two sticks in the sides for arms. “He’s missing something,” she mused, looking around the forest floor.

“I’m not giving him my hat, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“But he looks so cold,” she joked, playfully tugging at his scarf. Their eyes met for a moment before he looked away, searching his pockets.

“Here, he can have one of my cigarettes.” He cleared his throat and stepped back. “So, when exactly were they supposed to be back?” 

“I was told they would be back around sunrise” she glanced at him over the fire. “I can’t believe I ditched Jimmy Stewart and Alastair Sim for this.”

“Alastair who?” 

“Sim. You know, Scrooge. In the best movie version of A Christmas Carol ever made.”

“I’ve always been partial to George C. Scott, myself,” he countered. 

Jessica rolled her eyes. “You’re wrong, you know. No one portrays the joy bordering on madness that Scrooge experiences on Christmas morning. Nor the bitterly cold curmudgeon that he grew to be before the visitations.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“No,” she stepped toward him, “we’re going to watch it when we get back.”

“We?” he stepped up, coming toe to toe with her. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Well,” she hesitated, “I’m going to watch it tomorrow anyway. Christmas tradition and all. You may as well join me.” 

They heard rustling coming up the path before he could answer, and soon Nicholas and Emma revealed themselves, arm in arm and smiling. 

“You two look like you had a good time.”

“It was magical,” Emma sighed. “I wish I had been able to record it. No one compares to Charles Dickens in the way of storytelling.” 

Karl put out the fire and scattered the campsite as Emma and Jessica climbed into the machine. “So, how was guard duty? Keep yourselves busy?”

Jessica glanced in Karl’s direction, deciding quickly not to invite Emma to speculate on farfetched possibilities of romantic connections. “He slept most of the time. I just read a book and waited.”

Emma studied her face for a few seconds, then nodded, looking amused. “Don’t get too involved. You still have a part to play.”

Jessica nodded. She didn’t want to dive into a relationship, given her history of falling for the ones that needed constant ego coddling and validation, but it couldn’t hurt to have a little fun on the side, right?

\---------

They returned to the warehouse at around 9 a.m. Christmas morning. There were a few events planned throughout the day for the inhabitants, but Jessica couldn’t really say she was interested in any of the festivities. All she really wanted was a bath, her bed, a glass of wine, and Jimmy Stewart.

As she walked away, she thought about what Emma had alluded to, and decided that no one would make her decisions for her. Turning back to the Mothership as Karl disembarked, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure their travel companions were out of earshot.

She handed him a slip of paper with her address. “Movie starts at 3 o’clock, if you’re still interested,” Jessica said, “Bring the popcorn.”


End file.
